X100: To Buy or Not To Buy, that is the Q

[Avotius]

If the X100 was not a 35mm lens then I would be all over that. Sadly 35's and I dont get along, though it makes me wonder if I should just try harder.

And they are coming down in price domestically so that its on par with what the rest of the world is paying rather than a 60% markup.

I say go for it.

 

[abo_1970]

I have put my evil dSLR up for sale to get one of these beauties... not only was I sick and tired of hoisting that dSLR brick around and have back problems at the end of the day, but I also missed the unobtrusiveness of a RF and the quality of the low light shots.

 

[Mcary]

With all the positive and negative things being written and posted about the X100 it took me long time, until about two weeks ago to push the order button, when I saw that B&H had them in stock and hit the place order button.
So far haven't been able to do an serious shooting, just a few late night walks plus a bunch of snaps of our cats 🙂
Design and layout : Very very pleased find as I've always prefer the older Leica M, Nikon FE/FM, Pentax LX/MX body design to the modern SLR/DSLR designs.
Image quality: Well so far 99% of the images I've taken have been at F-2 with a good number of them using the close-up setting. So far extremely pleased with image quality shooting RAW processing in JPAS.
Going to use it tomorrow morning to shoot with a model for the first time, as both a POLAROID to check lighting (Strobes) before shooting with my 533/16 plus will be using it as my main camera for about 1/3-1/2 of the shoot just for a fun test.

 

[anthony_semone]

Yes, abo_1970, 12 days in Paris walking 4-6 miles per day with my D700 proved quite en-light-ening. NOT. and that only with either a 24/2 or a 50/1.2 Too darn heavy, and, at least for me, 35mm+/- works very nicely.

@Mcary,

yep, I pulled said "trigger," (gotta be careful of the sarcasm police on this site) 😀, and should have it on Tuesday. I'm quite excited to learn its idiosyncrasies as well as to its reportedly superb color rendition, at least as said by some users.

tony

 

[marduk]

I've pulled the trigger today too. There was one for sale on getdpi for quite some time. I thought I can't go wrong at 700 euro. I can resell it if we don't get along, they normally go for around 900 on the German X100 forum.

 

[Frank Petronio]

Why not wait six months and get one for $800 with a clean shutter? It's Winter anyways....

 

[mackigator]

I wanted the x100 badly until I was able to use a friends. Now I want one a bit less - certainly capable, but not nearly as much of a home run as I'd hoped. The manual focus ring is an absolute joke if you're used to M lenses and the AF system (on which you must then depend) leaves something to be desired.

But I do love the viewfinder as well as the image rendering of the lens. Hopefully that tech goes into more cameras in the future.

 

[back alley]

i miss mine...will look hard at the interchangeable lens model when it come out.

 

[kuvvy]

I really enjoy the results from the X100 although it does have a little less enjoyable handling quirks. I say get it or borow one and give it a go.
That said, I've just pressed the button on it's tiny brother the X10. I couldn't resist the temptaion.

 

[abo_1970]

Well, I picked mine up yesterday, together with the leather case and the hood.
Very impressed so far with how quiet it is and the fact that my 2-year old son doesn't recognize it as a camera yet, giving me the chance to take shots while he doesn't notice. Also very impressed with the image quality, especially under low light conditions. And I very much like the hybrid viewfinder!
I'm quite sure I am going to enjoy this camera more than my K7 (which I sold to get the X100)...

 

[rbelyell]

the only 'problem' with this camera is the unrealistic expectations of its users. as i read comments i find it interesting that people expect more from their cameras than they do of their spouses! ): nothing is perfect in every way, but the results achievable with this camera are superlative. unfortunately it won't cook your dinner...

 

[jsrockit]

Not.

Next question please.

Seriously, as long as it does what you want, and you can afford it, why not buy it? And if it doesn't do what you want, or if you have some existential dread about its being replaced by something newer or going wrong, why buy it? The mere fact that you're asking suggests that you don't really want one all that much.

Cheers,

R.

I have to agree with this. You can buy the camera and use it. OR you can keep waiting for the best thing for your money and never buy. This is about photography, not investing. I, for one, love the X100.

 

[gavinlg]

Yep - as far as a maximum IQ, maximum function (dials, optical VF) minimum size, minimum price take everywhere camera with a 35mm lens goes, there isn't a better camera around right now. Possibly not for a long time.

 

[hdavid]

After schlepping around heavy DSLR's around for so long - and almost going for an M9 - I am very happy with my decision to purchase the X-100. Very easy to carry around - and the quality is exceptional. Only thing that "got-me" was having to have separate RAW file to JPG conversion software around - mostly on company laptop. Otherwise, with LR3 there is no issue. Amazing that Fuji does not make or provide a software converter........

 

[anthony_semone]

I'm going into the end of my first week of ownership, and flat-out love it. The .jpg quality is just stunning, and AWB is so much more accurate than my Nikon D700 or D7000. I'm still getting used to the idiosyncrasies of the control/menu layouts and programming options. I especially didn't like it - though not entirely unexpected - that the positioning of my right thumb on the camera body is a direct transfer from my Nikon bodies and hence has me inadvertently pressing the control wheel and getting video GRRRR. I got a "Thumbs Up" to correct that, though of course not w/o a (small) price to pay in form factor. Well no such thing as a free lunch 🙂 I like it so much that my interest in an M9 is once again renewed, so soon as I can wrap my head around it, I'm selling my Nikon gear to help fund it. 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

I don't think there has been a more polarizing camera since the M9.

 

[anthony_semone]

??? Polarizing ???

 

[raid]

Maybe the posting refers to a camera that caused a polarization between people here; some like it and some don't .... I am not interested in it. Others swear by it.

 

[jsrockit]

??? Polarizing ???

po·lar·ize [poh-luh-rahyz]
verb (used with object)
1. to cause polarization in.
2. to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc.: The controversy has polarized voters into proabortion and antiabortion groups.

 

[Coryl]

There is something about the filesvthat this camera produces which just looks more real-maybe that they remind me of film. They dont look digital. I have a 5D also which I will never sell, but this camera is a flat bargain at 1200 bucks. I cant put it down